At the "AI Expo Korea 2026" venue at COEX in Seoul's Gangnam district on the 6th, a humanoid robot jointly developed by KB Financial Group and Zenon, a generative AI specialist, was on display at the booth the two companies set up together.
On this day, the robot identified a pill bottle from a table where a water cup, fruit plate, and pill bottle were placed in front of visitors, and then picked it up. When a person extended their hand, the robot placed the pill bottle on the hand. The robot can also perform a sequence of actions, including navigating around obstacles to reach the table holding the pill bottle and returning to hand the medication to a person.
KB Financial Group has unveiled a care robot equipped with physical AI technology, the first of its kind in the financial sector. While there have been cases of information robots being installed at branch offices, this is the first time a robot dedicated exclusively to senior care has been introduced.
KB Financial Group developed the functions and scenarios required for a robot to be used at nursing facilities together with Zenon, which has accumulated expertise in enterprise generative AI.
The key feature is the "robot arm." KB Financial Group and Zenon designed the hands larger than those of typical humanoid robots to provide practical assistance to elderly users, such as picking up and moving pill bottles. The robot can deliver medication to hypertensive patients with mobility difficulties or check in with them each morning. When it is time to take medication, the robot guides users to take their pills.
The robot's height was designed to be just over 1 meter, similar to the sitting height of an adult wheelchair user. This allows the robot to interact with users with mobility challenges at eye level.
The robot also features emotional care functions. Equipped with a large language model (LLM), it can engage in natural conversation similar to that with generative AI services such as ChatGPT. In addition to asking about daily well-being and providing medication reminders, it can also perform functions for emotional connection, such as dancing to music.
KB Financial Group aims to eventually deploy the humanoid robot at nursing facilities operated by its affiliate KB Golden Life Care. KB Golden Life Care currently operates nursing facilities at five locations in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area, including Seocho, Wirye, Eunpyeong, Gwanggyo, and Gangdong. "We are not yet at the stage of field deployment, but once the technology is advanced enough to operate reliably, we could consider supplying it to nursing facilities operated by local governments," a KB Financial Group official said. "We are exploring ways to contribute to a super-aged society."
In July this year, the company plans to introduce the care robot "Kebi" at the senior living community "KB Pyeongchang County." Kebi is a compact mobile care robot under 1 meter in height, providing services for residents' safety such as emergency detection and spatial guidance. It also has convenience features including conversation-based wellness checks and photo-taking. Although its functions are simpler than those of the humanoid robot, it is expected to serve as a stage for testing the potential of care robots in actual senior residential facilities.
KB Financial Group has recently been concentrating its technological capabilities on "care automation." In January this year, it opened "Age Tech Lab," a research space for the latest technologies for seniors, at KB Life Tower in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul. The lab conducts technology proof-of-concept work with innovative companies. KB Financial Group is reportedly collaborating with various companies, including Zenon, AI robot service specialist Everybot, and LG Electronics.
KB Financial Group's robot development is part of its strategy to expand points of contact with senior customers. As demand from the elderly for both retirement asset management and care grows simultaneously, the group aims to extend its scope beyond finance to services that manage overall daily life. "Senior customers are a core customer segment with diverse service demands, including not only asset management but also health care, caregiving, and lifestyle convenience," a KB Financial Group official said. "Our strategy is to secure long-term customers by combining financial and non-financial services."
